Postdoctoral Fellow in Climate and Environmental Governance

About the position

At the Institutt for språk og kultur (ISK), there is a vacancy for a 3-year postdoctoral position affiliated with the interdisciplinary research project RiverPulse.

RiverPulse: Reconfiguring human–nature interactions as an assemblage at the Arctic frontline of climate change is an ERC Advanced Grant project at UiT – The Arctic University of Norway. The project investigates how accelerating climate change reshapes Arctic salmon rivers as ecological systems, multi-species environments, lived places, and arenas for governance.

The overall goal is to further develop assemblage thinking as an empirically grounded framework for understanding climate change as a relational crisis, and Arctic salmon rivers as assemblages of ecological, social, cultural, and political processes.

The project works in three river regions: Reisa in Norway, Tornio in Finland and Sweden, and Kapisillit in Greenland. The communities are multilingual and multicultural, comprising Sami and Kalaallit Inuit indigenous communities as well as Kven and Meänkieli minority contexts. RiverPulse combines ecological and quantitative research with ethnographic, historical, citizen science, and governance-related approaches to understand how climate-driven changes in rivers and salmon systems reshape river–salmon–human relations, as well as knowledge and governance.

RiverPulse is designed as an interdisciplinary research program, and the vacant postdoctoral position is one of four postdoctoral positions. Ecological and quantitative documentation will be interpreted together with qualitative and community-based knowledge, while each researcher retains clear academic responsibility for their own area. You will join a team spanning the humanities, social sciences, and environmental sciences, with interdisciplinary partners and local research assistants in the three river regions.

The postdoctoral position is a fixed-term position with a period of employment of 3 years. It is assumed that the applicant will be able to complete the project within the period of employment. No one can be employed for more than one fixed-term period as a postdoc at the same institution.

As a postdoc, you will have the opportunity to further develop your research career and qualify for further work in academia. If you do not already have educational professional competence that meets the requirements for a position as an Associate Professor in Norway, UiT will facilitate that you can acquire this competence during the period of employment.

The place of work is UiT in Tromsø; some travel must be expected in the role. You must be able to start no later than April 1, 2027.

Institutt for språk og kultur is an institute with great thematic breadth and a very active research environment. There are approximately 140 employees in total, primarily at the Tromsø campus, but also at the Alta campus. The institute has approximately 500 students.

The position's tasks/research area/about the project

We are recruiting four postdocs with complementary competence. Each position has its own research question and area of responsibility, while all four postdocs will contribute to RiverPulse's interdisciplinary work with ecological, social, cultural, and political processes. Previous experience from Arctic or northern research is an advantage, but generally not a requirement. We welcome applications from candidates who can explain how their competence can contribute to RiverPulse. You are not expected to already be an expert in all the methods or disciplines used in the project.

In addition to their position-specific research tasks (see below), all postdocs will contribute to common RiverPulse activities, including project meetings, workshops and events, research communication and dissemination, as well as other project activities. Additionally, the position involves periods of extensive fieldwork at one or more of our research sites.

Your role

You will contribute expertise in climate and environmental governance, with a particular responsibility for analyzing and comparing existing and emerging forms of governance of rivers and salmon across the three RiverPulse rivers. The focus is on how local communities, institutions, and other actors govern and negotiate changing relations to the rivers in response to climate and environmental changes and declining salmon stocks.

You will also contribute to participatory research and the co-creation of future governance practices, and where relevant, build on observations from citizen science and other knowledge produced through RiverPulse.

The position addresses the following question:

How are changing relations to the rivers governed, and how do local communities, institutions, and other actors negotiate responses to climate change across the three RiverPulse rivers?

Tasks

• Analyze environmental and climate governance, as well as community and political responses to changing relations to the rivers in the three river regions.
• Investigate and compare different governance arrangements, such as indigenous governance, rights of nature and/or co-management, where relevant to the cases.
• Contribute to participatory and collaborative research, involvement of local communities, and the co-creation of governance responses and future development pathways, including the use and interpretation of knowledge bases from citizen science where relevant.
• Develop your own analyses and publications within this position's research area, as well as contribute to comparative results and publications from RiverPulse.

You must submit a project description describing your contribution to the project and the basis for the work. The project description must include a progress plan.

Contact

More information about the position can be obtained from Institute Director Gustav Jørgen Pedersen:

• Phone: 77 64 69 74
• E-mail: Gustav.j.pedersen@uit.no

or project leader Sari Päivikki Pietikäinen:

• Phone: 77 64 47 02
• E-mail: Sari.pietikaeinen@uit.no

Qualifications

Requirements for education, certifications, and experience that the candidate must have to be qualified.

• PhD in political science, public administration, environmental governance, environmental law, public policy, sustainability science, or another relevant field.
• Documented research expertise in climate, environmental, or natural resource governance.
• Experience with research relevant to environmental governance, policy, or institutions.
• Very good written and oral English skills. Nordic applicants can document their language skills by including secondary school transcripts in their application.

Education, experience, or other competence that is desirable for the candidate to have.

• Experience with indigenous governance, common resources and the management of these ("commons/commoning"), co-management, environmental policy analysis, collaborative or participatory research, co-creation, participatory methods, or Arctic environmental governance.
• Competence in one or more of the languages used at RiverPulse's field sites, with a view to involving local communities.

Relevant languages at the field sites are: Reisa: Norwegian, Kven, and North Sami; Tornio: Finnish, Swedish, and Meänkieli; Kapisillit: Kalaallisut and Danish.

In your application, we ask you to describe your level of competence and how you can use the language in fieldwork.

When assessing your application, we will look at both what you already bring to the position and your potential for development within RiverPulse. In addition to the specific qualifications, we will emphasize:

• the quality and relevance of your research and your research potential
• your analytical skills, intellectual curiosity, and motivation for interdisciplinary research on Arctic river systems and changing societies
• your understanding of the position you are applying for, and how your competence can contribute to the broader RiverPulse project
• your ability to conduct research with professional independence within RiverPulse's overall framework, including developing your own analyses and publications, while actively and constructively contributing to the project's collaborative, interdisciplinary research
• initiative and openness to engaging with perspectives, methods, and forms of knowledge beyond your own disciplinary background
• communication and collaboration skills that contribute to an inclusive, constructive, and collaborative research environment.

At UiT, emphasis is placed on the quality, relevance, and significance of research work rather than where the work is published, in accordance with the principles of The San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA).

Inclusive working life and diversity

UiT The Arctic University of Norway has a personnel policy goal to be an employer that reflects the diversity of society and utilizes the potential in the population's collective competence. We believe that inclusion and diversity are a strength and want employees with different competencies, combinations of disciplines, life experiences, and perspectives.

If you have a disability, gaps in your CV, or an immigrant background, we encourage you as an applicant to check these boxes in the job application portal. If there are qualified applicants, we call in at least one from each group for an interview, and if you get the job, we will make arrangements for you if you need them. Beyond selecting the right candidates, we do not use the checkboxes for anything other than anonymized statistics. Read more in the Employer Portal https://arbeidsgiver.difi.no/positivsaerbehandling

We can offer

• Participation in an exciting research project
• Good career opportunities
• A good working environment with dedicated colleagues
• Good welfare schemes
• Good pension, insurance, and loan schemes in Statens pensjonskasse
• The opportunity to participate in an ERC Advanced Grant project addressing a central environmental and societal challenge in the Arctic.
• A genuinely interdisciplinary research environment that brings the humanities, social sciences, and environmental sciences into lasting collaboration.
• A clearly defined research role, combined with support to develop your own analyses, publications, and academic profile within RiverPulse.
• Opportunities to contribute to groundbreaking interdisciplinary research, workshops, and broader project activities, while building your own research network.
• A collaborative, inclusive, and constructive working environment where different forms of competence and knowledge are valued.

The application

Please note that the application will only be assessed based on the information submitted by the application deadline via Jobbnorge. It is therefore important that you attach all necessary documents showing your qualifications for the position.

Your application should help us understand not only if you meet the formal criteria, but also how you envision contributing to RiverPulse and developing as a researcher within the project. Since English is the working language of the research group, the CV, cover letter, motivation letter, and research plan must be written in English.

Please attach:

• Curriculum vitae (CV), including education, research experience, relevant methodological experience, and a complete publication list.
• Up to five academic publications or other scientific works that you consider most relevant to the position. The doctoral thesis can be included as one of these works. Explain in your cover letter (max. one page) how you believe these publications relate to RiverPulse.
• A motivation letter of maximum two pages. Explain why you are applying for this RiverPulse position, how your background prepares you for it, and how you understand the position's scientific and practical responsibilities. Also reflect briefly on how you will contribute to interdisciplinary and collaborative research, and what you see as important or challenging regarding conducting climate research in Arctic river environments and local communities.
• A preliminary research plan of maximum three pages, excluding references. Outline how you will develop your research within the broader RiverPulse project. The plan should identify the questions you will pursue, the material and methods you will build upon, as well as the conceptual approach you envision. It should explain how your research relates to the relevant RiverPulse position and the project as a whole, what you will contribute independently, and where you see the most important opportunities for collaboration across disciplines and river regions. Where relevant, you should also mention fieldwork, involvement of local communities, and ethical considerations.
• Diplomas and relevant transcripts, including documentation of completed PhD or confirmation that the doctoral thesis has been submitted for evaluation.
• Names and contact information for two–three academic referees. Reference letters are not required at the time of application.
• Documentation of [English language proficiency](https://www.samordnaopptak.no/english/language-requirements) (if available)

Since English is the working language of the research group, the CV, cover letter, motivation letter, and research plan must be written in English.

The three-page research plan is not expected to be a fully independent project proposal. We want to see how you formulate a coherent individual research line within an already defined ERC project, and how you will utilize the collaborative opportunities RiverPulse provides.

If RiverPulse matches your research interests, but your background does not fit all the examples listed above, we encourage you to clearly demonstrate how your competence can contribute. The qualification requirements specify what is necessary; the desired qualifications describe strengths that can support the work and are not a checklist that all applicants are expected to fulfill.

Note to candidates: We know that no single candidate will bring all the experience or competence listed here, and we do not expect it. What matters is that you meet the qualification requirements, have a strong individual perspective, and can see how your work can contribute to RiverPulse. RiverPulse is designed to give you both a clear research role and space to develop new competence, new questions, and collaborations as the project evolves. If the position matches your research interests, we encourage you to apply.

If you are in the final stages of your PhD, you can still apply if you have submitted your doctoral thesis for evaluation by the application deadline. You must submit the thesis along with your application. Documented completed PhD is a condition for appointment to a postdoctoral position.

All documentation to be assessed must be in a Scandinavian language or English. If documentation of English language proficiency is missing at the time of application, it must be documented before appointment.

Expert assessment

Applicants will be assessed by an expert committee. The committee's mandate is to conduct an assessment of the applicants' qualifications based on the application documents and the announcement text. All applicants will receive a copy of the expert committee's assessment.

Applicants deemed to be most qualified will be called for an interview. The interview will, among other things, clarify personal suitability and motivation for the position. A trial lecture may also be held.

General information

Employment is subject to the rules and conditions that apply to state employees at any given time, and guidelines at UiT. On our websites, you can find more information for applicants to positions at UiT.

Postdocs are paid according to the state regulations code 1352 with a gross annual salary in a 100% position between NOK 620,000 and 665,100. (In special cases, higher salary may be considered.) From the gross salary, a mandatory 2% contribution is deducted to Statens pensjonskasse. You will become a member of Statens pensjonskasse, which provides many benefits in addition to lifelong old-age pension and AFP. Read more about your employee benefits at: spk.no.

You must be willing to engage in development work within your own field and for the university as a whole.

Personal data provided is processed in accordance with the Personal Data Act. Applicants may request not to be listed on the public applicant list, but the university may nonetheless decide that the applicant's name shall be made public. The applicant will then be notified prior to publication.

Welcome as an applicant!

About the employer:

UiT The Arctic University of Norway is an internationally leading comprehensive university. Our vision is to be a driving force in the North. The North Sami concept eallju, which means industriousness, sets the tone for the driving force at UiT. Together with students, employees, and society at large, we shall utilize our location in Northern Norway and Sápmi, our academic breadth, and our interdisciplinary advantages to shape the future.

UiT has approximately 18,000 students, more than 4,000 employees, and is established on four main campuses and seven other study locations in Northern Norway and on Svalbard. Our largest campuses are Tromsø, Alta, Narvik, and Harstad. UiT has seven faculties, 40 institutes and centers, and leading research environments within various disciplines. The university has 269 study programs and focuses on educational quality.

Academic freedom, scientific, and research ethics principles form the basis of all UiT's activities. Participation, co-determination, openness, and good processes shall provide the decision-making basis we need to make wise and forward-looking priorities. Our students and employees shall have the opportunity to develop their abilities and potential. Founded on scientific integrity, we shall be brave, engaged, and generous—close to the subject, the people, and contemporary developments.

Read more about UiT's strategy towards 2030